Published: 2026 by Fresh Water Press
Format/Pages: Paperback, e-book; 218 pages
A Sweet Snapshot of a Multigenerational American Family
Bicentennial Eve is a heartwarming look at a Wisconsin family the day before America’s 200 year anniversary. The story takes a close up look at several individuals making difficult decisions about relationships and life changes. Although at first it can be tricky to keep each character and their family role straight, Jacob slowly weaves the arc of each individual together into one cohesive narrative. Throughout the book, each family member deals with their specific fears and desires which creates a nice perspective across generations. The teenager’s main focus is the cute boy she has a crush on while the grandmother worries about making the most of the time she has left.
The setting of Lake Michigan adds to the overall peaceful effect of the story on top of a personal touch for any Wisconsin native readers. The characters have a natural way of interacting and although they have their squabbles and differences, the underlying love and respect they have for each other is both admirable and pleasant to read.
Several of the older characters spend time reminiscing on past years and touch on grief and loss, specifically regarding military families. There are times when the memories feel repetitive, specifically when different family members reminisce on the same memory. All in all, this doesn’t impede the story flow by much and Bicentennial Eve serves as a touching peek at a family across generations.
